Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested Emeka Emmanuel Mbadiwe, a US-trained Nigerian filmmaker, for alleged involvement in drug trafficking. The arrest took place at a hotel in Lekki, Lagos, on December 27, 2024, shortly after his associate, Uzoekwe Ugochukwu James, was apprehended at Ajao Estate, Ikeja. James was intercepted at a warehouse retrieving a shipment of 33 parcels of “loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 17.30 kilograms. The shipment had arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on December 24 via a Delta Airlines flight, concealed in large wooden crates.
The NDLEA disclosed a series of other arrests and drug seizures across the country. Among them was Feyisara Ajoke Elediye, a 61-year-old Lagos socialite, who was apprehended at her mansion in Okota after operatives intercepted a truck loaded with over 1,500 kilograms of cannabis. In Kwara state, two young women were arrested for producing drug-laced cupcakes allegedly targeted at students. Similarly, in Rivers state, a joint operation at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex uncovered more than 300,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup. In Kano, a separate raid led to the seizure of over 149,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5.
Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, emphasized the agency’s commitment to a balanced approach to drug supply reduction and demand reduction. He highlighted the importance of continued vigilance and collaboration with international partners to combat drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria
